About Giselle No. 5 Ceramics

Handmade is very important to me. All my life, my first impulse has always been to make something rather than buy it if I can. Watching the world's markets flood with mass-produced items that quickly find their way to the landfill because they're so poorly made brings me great sadness. I can't fix the world but I can bring a smile to people's faces with whimsical, detailed, lovingly made little works of art that you can use every day. Perhaps because I have always lived in small houses and apartments, I tend to own very few items that serve only a decorative purpose. So I make pottery that will add to the decor of your home and the joy of your day that you can also use.

I have a small son and nearly a dozen nephews and nieces, so I particularly love making small quirky items for children. My little boy has been using pottery I made him since he was two years old and the stoneware has stood the test of time. So far he's never broken any of the dishes I've made for him.

I live on the Central Coast of California, right in the middle between the sprawl of Los Angeles and the Bay Area. I grew up here in Los Osos, and we returned five years ago to raise our son in a quiet coastal town. It's a lovely area, beauty around every corner. I draw constant inspiration from the nature around me, whether it's amber kelp floating in the slate blue bay, rough brown stone against a bright blue sky, or a field of orange and purple wildflowers. Much of my work contrasts the rough texture and earth tones of raw clay with the gloss and jewel brightness of vibrant glazes.

Clay found me right at the start of 2012 and I was instantly hooked. My lifelong friend Christine of Back Bay Pottery absorbed me into her home and studio whenever I dropped by with my little boy, and over the next couple years I soaked up an education in clay, glazes, and the basics of running a pottery business. Her mentoring and encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to set up my own business. By fall of 2012 I was selling handmade clay stamps in my Etsy shop, GiselleNo5.etsy.com. I made pottery projects on the side for family and friends, and in the summer of 2014 I started setting up my own home studio at long last to finally make all the pottery I'd been dreaming of for two years.

Giselle No. 5 Ceramics is a one-woman show. Though I often discuss business decisions and test products with friends and family, all product design and creation, shop maintenance, product photography, and shipping is done by me. But it works out because I'm friendly and I very rarely bite.

Please feel free to contact me via any of the following social media platforms or this site